Anzac Biscuits (a day late, sorry!)

ANZAC (Australia/New Zealand Army Corps) day is 25 Apr and each year Aussies and Kiwis remember those killed in the service of their countries. On 25 April 1915 Australian and NZ troops landed on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey and fought for 9 months before having to withdraw from the beach after suffering heavy casualties and being unable to capture the peninsular. Each year thousands of young Aussies and Kiwis make the trip to ANZAC cove in Turkey and remember those lost with their Turkish friends and hosts who also join the dawn service. Services and Parades are held all around Australia/NZ and wherever there are Australians (including here in Washington) and people then retire to purveyors of beers and play two-up and tell stories, with the youngest soldiers/sailors and airmen mingling with the oldest veterans. ANZAC biscuits were sent from Australia to the troops in Gallipoli in care packages and are an ANZAC favourite this time of year, and this is the best recipe we have found for them!

A recipe by Bob Lawson, an ANZAC at Gallipoli.

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup desicated coconut

125g butter

1 tablespoon treacle or golden syrup

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

Preheat the oven to 150°C; line baking trays with baking paper.

Combine flour, sugar, oats and coconut in a bowl. Melt butter together with treacle in a saucepan over a low heat.

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and stir through butter mixture. Combine butter mixture with dry ingredients and mix well.

Spoon heaped teaspoons of mixture onto trays after rolling into balls and lightly press each biscuit, allow room for speading.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow biscuits to cool on trays. Makes about 34 biscuits.